JJBA: Wayward Legacy
by WendyTheWeeb
Summary: JJ is a street thug living on the streets of Dallas in 1972. He's always had this mysterious power, but never knew what to call it. Until one day he meets someone else with the same ability. It's called a "stand." This sets in motion a series of events which will unveil his hidden family legacy, and ancient secrets best left forgotten.
1. Chapter 1: Sweet Home Alabama

**Dallas - 1972**

"No way! Again? This guy has to be cheating!" Shouted a leather clad thug at a poker table.

"Raise your sleeves scumbag, or I'll cut you!" He shouted, brandishing a knife across the table.

The man across from him, a blonde haired 6'5 ruffian, obliged. He rolled up his plaid sleeves and smirked, no cards were hidden.

"Gah! Just my luck." Sighed the thug as he sat back down.

"Guess luck is on my side today." Said the ruffian.

"What was your name again kid?" Asked the thug.

"JJ." Said the ruffian, "And I'm not a kid, I'm 25!"

The thug chuckled a bit.

"Let's try blackjack instead, change the pace a little." Said another man with a mohawk to the other three at the table.

He shuffled the cards and dealt them out grinning, "No way that JJ punk is gonna win this time, I made sure to deal my buddy some good cards, meanwhile JJ over there is looking at a king and a seven!"

JJ mulled over his cards a bit while the two men gave smug glares.

"Well JJ? Fold?"

"Double or nothing."

"What?!" The two men cried in unison.

"Is that a problem?"

"N-no! Here!" The man dealt him another card.

"JJ smiled, "Blackjack."

"What?! No way!"

JJ flipped over his cards, revealing a king, a nine, and a two.

"Now hold on a minute!" The dealer hoisted JJ over the table by his collar, "You cheating rat! I know you did it!"

"How is that?"

"I-"

"Hmm, cat got your tongue?"

"Why you! I'll get you for this!" Shouted the thug as he reached for his blade. He gasped, it wasn't there.

"Looking for this?" JJ raised his fist, the blade clutched tight.

"When did you-"

With a swift motion JJ sliced at the man holding him, cutting his belt and sending his pants to the floor making him let go.

The thug tried lunging at JJ across the table, but miraculously slipped and bashed his head against it, knocking him out cold. The third man, afraid, quickly leapt from his seat and high tailed it out of the bar before things got rougher.

"N-now I don't want no trouble!" Yelled the last man as he desperately clutched at his pants, trying to hide his colorful underpants.

JJ smirked and twirled the knife in his hands, then stuck it in his jacket pocket. The thug watched in fear as JJ laid a bill on the bar, "Keep the change, sorry for the ruckus." He said to the bartender and left without another word.

...

Outside, JJ leaned against a car and fished a cigarette from his pocket. He lit it and took a long drag to calm his nerves. He was good at hiding it, but he never liked getting into fights. Although when he did, he always won. He held up one of the playing cards from the game, the nine from his winning hand. As he took another puff and stared at it, the colors shifted and blurred, the numbers contorted and twisted around, reforming themselves into sevens.

"Hmph. It's not cheating if you don't get caught."

He sighed and tossed the card to the wind before stubbing his cigarette out with his foot.

"Excellent show back there, kid."

"Hmm?"

JJ turned around and saw a grungy looking man in a cowboy hat standing in the entrance to an alleyway.

"Almost seemed to good to be true, if you know what I mean." He said in a very pronounced southern drawl as he tipped his hat.

"Do I know you?"

The man chuckled and almost coughed a bit.

"No, I'm just an observer. But I saw somethin' back there that... caught my eye."

"What can I say, I'm just good at cards."

The man stepped from the alley towards JJ.

"Don't play coy, I saw it. When you took that guy's knife."

"!" JJ gasped.

Behind the man was the silhouette of another person. Slowly from wispy black strings of smoke in the air, it began to take form and grow clearer. It was humanoid, but to call it human would be woefully incorrect. It was thin, emaciated, with blackened skin and a gaping snakelike jaw. From it's legs and back jutted spikes pointed behind it like deformed spurs. And throughout its body were gaping holes JJ could see clear through, like bullet wounds.

The man pulled his hat down low and unholstered a revolver JJ had yet to notice.

"Buddy, you got yourself a _stand._ And I don't like that one bit."

JJ ducked behind the car and the man opened fire, he fired 3 shots. JJ heard the shatter of glass from the rear windshield, the pop of the tire to his left, and felt a searing pain in his left thigh. He looked down and saw his leg was red, blood staining his blue jeans.

"Was I too slow?"

Another gunshot cracked through the air, JJ felt something wiz by his head and impact into the trunk. He looked over at the bullet hole gaping inwards.

"But how? He's on the other side, the bullet came from this side!"

"There's no use hiding it!" Yelled the man, reloading. "I saw the look on your face, I know you have one too! So show it!"

JJ tore off part of his sleeve and tied it around the wound, then slid over to the right side of the trunk.

"You're just gonna make me angry kid." Sighed the man before pointing his gun back at the car. He fired another two shots. both impacting where JJ had sat moments ago.

"I have to figure out how he's doing this, or I'm a gonner!" JJ wracked his brain trying to figure out what was going on, what that thing was behind the man, and what a "stand" was. He'd never encountered anyone with this power before.

Ever since JJ was little, he'd had "it." It all started when he was 5 years old, he contracted a strange illness and was rushed to the hospital by his mother. His fever was 105 degrees, the doctors said there was no chance JJ would survive. But then, after a night of agony, the fever broke. And when JJ woke up, "it" was at his side. His mother thought it was an imaginary friend, and JJ had always been confused why nobody else could see. He got made fun of by other children when he invited them to play with his friend. It never spoke, but JJ could see in its eyes that it could feel. It watched over him, protected him, and when he got older he learned of the other things it could do.

The cowboy stepped behind the car, gun drawn. But JJ wasn't there.

"Where'd that punk go?"

The man checked under the car and carefully bent down, placing his hand on the bumper.

Underneath was a puddle, gasoline leaking from one of the bullet holes. And in the center, a lit cigarette.

"!" The man hoisted himself back up, but was yanked back down.

"What the?"

His hand was stuck to the bumper of the car by some sort of black elastic holding him down by the wrist. He yanked at it but it wouldn't budge. He looked closer and saw it was coming from the license plate.

"So that's what his stand can do!"

The letter and numbers from the license lifted from the frame and stretched upwards like taught rubber bands, wrapping themselves around his arm in an unbreakable hold. He struggled in vain to get free, meanwhile a flame had caught the gasoline and was creeping towards the rest of the car.

"Come on, let go dammit!"

The fire crept closer, he could feel the heat know as it rose towards the gas tank.

"_**Sweet Home Alabama**__!_" The ghastly figure rematerialized and with a ferocious punch broke apart the license plate to free him.

He sprinted to the car behind, and dove to cover as the previous car exploded in a shower of flame sending debris raining down. He got up and dusted himself off, readjusting his hat.

"I'll give it to ya kid, ya almost got me. Now come out and fight like a man!"

He examined the street, searching for JJ. Finally his eyes drifted to the window of a storefront across the street. In the reflection he saw JJ, hiding behind another car.

"Gotcha!" He aimed and fired off another two shots, one impacting the glass and the other the ground next to JJ.

This time, JJ had been watching, through the reflection. In just the millisecond the bullet fired, he could've sworn he saw it curve a path toward him.

"How is he doing it?!"

JJ scratched his head in frustration. But then he noticed his knife, he'd dropped it in his hurry to get across the street. It was laying on the ground next to him, balanced on a pebble. The end was pointing at the car he was hiding behind. For some reason unknown to him, JJ reached down and spun the knife, it twirled around in a circle and eventually came to rest pointed back at the car.

"It's like a compass! I wonder..."

JJ rummaged in his pockets and found a dirty coin, he placed it against the side of the car. It stuck to it.

"He's magnetized all the cars!"

The man crept toward the car JJ was behind, his gun drawn and stand at the ready behind him. This time, he wasn't getting away. He felt the crunch of glass beneath his feet as he walked around the side of the car. There JJ was, defenseless. He aimed his gun directly at him.

"Sorry about this kid, just can't have another stand user running around this city."

"Look down."

"Huh?"

JJ smirked. "Look down."

"Come on kid I'm not gonna-"

Dozens of tight white lines erupted underneath the man, attaching themselves to him. It was the remains of the storefront display, on the shattered glass from earlier. With a zip the lines retracted and flung dozens of shards of glass straight into the man from all directions, sinking deep into his flesh. He screamed and stumbled back, firing his remaining shots straight up in the air only for them to rain back down around them into the cars.

"Looks like I'm not just some 'kid' after all!"

"Why you-!" The man pointed the gun at JJ but it only clicked empty.

"You asked to see it, so here it is."

From behind JJ multicolored ribbons of smoke and light emerged from thin air, coalescing into a human figure behind him. Its skin was a mixture of checkered and plaid patterns, covered in crisscross lines. Its muscular form flexed as if to show off the dangling ribbons of fabric hanging from its arms and waist. And its eyes glared harshly at the man from under what looked like the brim of a hat in its dome shaped head.

"That's... your stand?"

In the blink of an eye JJ's stand floated past him to the man, and wound up ready.

"Oh man..."

It clocked him straight in the jaw, sending him off his feet. The rained down a flurry of blows directly into him, hundreds of punches in a matter of seconds.

JJ let loose a fearsome cry, "_**ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA! OOOOORAAAAAA**_!"  
The man flew across the street and crashed into the windshield of a car, defeated. His stand faded away and JJ could hear faint groans of pain emanating from him. JJ cracked his knuckles and approached.

"P-please! No more! I surrender!" Croaked the man.

"Good grief." Said JJ, retracting his stand.

"This thing.. you called it a stand, right?" JJ questioned.

"Y-yeah! I've met a few other people with them before." He winced.

"Tell me more."

"Only stand users can see stands, some people just have 'em! I've had mine since I can remember. Please, don't hurt me!" He cowered in fear.

"Hmmm, yours had a name. _Sweet Home Alabama._" JJ scratched his chin. "Do all stands have a name?"

"Y-yeah I guess. Alabama is where I grew up, that way my stand reminds me of home..."

"I see." JJ pointed at the man, "Then I'll call my stand... **_Kansas_**!"

There was an awkward pause.

"So you're letting me go?"

JJ cleaned himself off and picked his knife back up.

"Only if you swear to never harm anyone ever again."

"Yeah! Promise!"

JJ walked over and sniffed the man.

"Uh..."

"I can tell the cut of someone's jib by how they smell, you seem truthful enough." JJ pinched his nose, "And you reek of gas, go get a shower after you go to the hospital."

JJ began to trod off, twirling the knife in his hand and whistling.

"Wait kid!"

JJ turned back. "What? Don't make me change my mind."

The man gulped in fear, "W-what's your name? I've never met a stand user so strong."

JJ smirked and posed, "The name's JJ. JJ Speedwagon."

**JoJo's Bizarre Adventure part 2.5: Wayward Legacy**


	2. Chapter 2: Carry On Carry On

STAND: ｢KANSAS｣

USER: JJ Speedwagon

POWER: B

SPEED: A

RANGE: A

DURABILITY: C

PRECISION: B

POTENTIAL: B

ABILITIES: Is capable of manipulating and transforming writing and images.

_A few hours later..._

"That him?"

"Yup, that's the one." Said a policeman chewing a donut.

The two looked through the window of a hospital room door at a young man being tended to by a doctor, he was wrapping up a bullet wound in his leg.

"Is it true, he turned himself in?"

"Yup," said the fat officer between bites, "Admitted he totalled a car and destroyed half a storefront, not to mention beat the crap out of the poor sucker we're keeping a few rooms over."

"It doesn't make sense! Why would he do that?"

"I've seen this guy around before, good ol' JJ. Usually we pick him up for getting into street fights, but it almost always ends up being self defense so he gets let off the hook. The guy sure is a magnet for trouble though, everyone in town seems to want to pick a fight with him."

"Why do you think that is?"

"Word on the street is he's never lost a fight, not one. That reputation alone is enough to put a target on his back."

The fat cop turned and looked at the other, "Not to mention, I hear his old man was some kinda oil tycoon, left him a huge inheritance when he passed away."

"What? If he's so rich why does he live on the streets?"

"Who knows, maybe he's the type who likes being around danger, or maybe the rich lifestyle just isn't for him."

Inside the room, the doctor finished wrapping JJ's leg in bandages.

"You're lucky the bullet didn't hit an artery, we were able to remove it without much trouble. You can pick up some painkillers at the front desk where your bill is waiting. And try to stay off that leg, it'll take a pretty long time to heal fully."

JJ thanked the man and went to leave, but the officers stopped him in his tracks.

"So? Am I free to go?"

The fat officer sighed, "Not so fast JJ, this is more than just some back alley brawl this time. You'll have to stay here for some questioning."

JJ frowned, "Well if you say so officer! I can't let myself get too carried away and interrupt your work!" He said with thinly veiled sarcasm.

"Oh! But first, do you mind if I use the restroom over there?" He pointed down the hall.

The officer sighed, "Make it quick, and I'll have to stand outside to make sure you don't run off."

JJ smirked as the officer followed him to the restroom, JJ.

"Make it quick!"

"Alright alright! I'm going! Sheesh."

JJ went inside into a stall, and pulled off his jacket. Stashed inside was a hospital uniform he'd swiped on his way inside. JJ peered around the bathroom, looking for something. Finally his eyes fell on a poster on the wall, "Don't forget to wash your hands!" It said, and had a photo of an attractive young male doctor.

Outside the officer was tapping his foot, and growing impatient. Out from the bathroom walked a doctor, in a blue hospital smock. The officer paid him no mind, then went inside to check on JJ. Moments later he ran out to the hall and yelled to his partner,

"He's not here! The asshole ran away!"

The doctor picked up his pace as he walked down the hall.

"Hey you! Stop!"

The officer ran up to him and grabbed his shirt sleeve.

"Ahem, uh, can I help you?" Said the doctor in an odd tone.

"Did you see a guy in the bathroom just now?"

"Hmmm," Said the doctor, "What do you think I am, some pervert? I can't keep tabs on everyone who uses the bathroom!"

"It was a young guy!" The cop stammered, "Tall, and blonde! Looked kinda like you, in fact!"

The doctor chuckled nervously and scratched his chin. "I think I saw him, he went down that way." He pointed the opposite direction.

"Come on, let's get after him!" The cop yelled to his partner as they sped down the hall.

The doctor sighed and rounded the corner to an empty hallway, "That was close."

He grabbed the spot on his chin he'd been scratching, pinching the skin between his fingers. With a pull, his face came off like a mask, and wriggled around transforming back into a fragment of paper. JJ looked at the face on it, then crumpled it up and tossed it in a garbage can. He hopped into an elevator and rode it to the ground floor. The atrium was busy, people going to and fro, doctors and nurses. JJ went up to the counter, "I'd like to pay my bill. It's under the name Speedwagon."

"One moment Mr. Speedwagon." Said the receptionist.

"Here we are! Will that be a check?"

JJ's eyes nearly popped out of his head looking at the numbers. "Yeesh! It sure costs a lot to get shot in this city."

He pulled out his wallet and tore off a check, signing it and handing it to the woman. When he went to put it back in his pocket, he noticed something had fallen out. He bent down to pick it up, it was a photograph, old and in black and white.

Two men sat together on a bench, arms around their shoulders and smiling. One man was large, even taller than JJ. He had shorter dark hair, and was dressed very finely in a sweater vest. The other man wore a tall top hat, checkered black and white, and a cheap looking suit. He had a long blonde mullet, and was quite muscular himself. He looked just like JJ, and for good reason. That man was Robert E.O. Speedwagon, JJ's father.

JJ never met his father, he'd been told he died of a heart attack when JJ was only 5 years old. Knowing his fathers old age, JJ wasn't surprised at this fact. He was 89 years old when he passed away. How an 84 year old man could swoon JJ's mother, who was half his age at the time, JJ would never know. But his mother had always spoken fondly of Robert.

However, something never sat right with JJ. His father's dead was the same night as his fever, the illness that almost killed him and brought about his "stand." (JJ was still getting used to having an actual name for _it._) It seemed like such a bizarre coincidence that the two events must have been related. But his father was hundred of miles away in a different state when it happened, JJ had no puzzle pieces to even fit together about how the two events coincided.

JJ's mother loved his father, but hated his work. Robert was always on trips out of the country, or flying from state to state. When JJ was just an infant, she decided she'd be better of raising him herself, and moved to Kansas with him. Robert was saddened by this decision, but respected her wishes. The only contact he ever had with JJ had been a few letters which JJ wasn't even old enough to read, and a massive inheritance left to him.

As JJ stared, lost in thought, a man walked into the hospital lobby. One could tell just from looking at him, this was a man of great stature. His hulking 6'5 frame was clearly visible beneath the suave trench coat he wore over a neatly buttoned sweater vest. His hair, brown and trimmed short, was graying at the temples showing signs of age but still retaining a youthful sheen. Atop his head he wore a new brown fedora, matching his trenchcoat. And on his chiseled jaw was a thick full beard, mostly brown but flecked with gray. In his gloved hands, the man held a photograph, a grainy mugshot of JJ taken some months prior.

"The cops I spoke to said he should be here..." He mumbled to himself.

"May I help you sir?"

"Ah! Don't sneak up on me!" The man scratched his head, embarrassed. "I was so busy looking around I didn't even notice you. Be more careful!"

"I'm so sorry sir! Is there someone you're here to see? I can take you over to-" She grabbed his sleeve and tried to usher him along.

"Oh my god!" The man recoiled his arm.

"Oh no! I'm sorry sir, is something wrong?"

"You hoochie! I'm a married man!" He straightened his jacket and huffed, "You shouldn't be just grabbing people like that! I know my suave demeanor may seem enticing, but you really must-"

As he spoke, he felt someone brush past him.

"Sorry." They said and continued out the door.

The man grumbled, "Now where was I?"

He stopped and turned around.

"Was that...?"

He looked at the photograph once more. It was him.

"Wait!"

The man barreled past an elderly woman and ran out the door into the street.

"Where did he go? I have to find him!"

The man scanned the street and saw JJ about to get on a bus.

"JJ! Wait!" He screamed.

"Huh?"

JJ heard his name, and saw the enormous middle aged man rushing towards him.

"Shit! Is he with the police?"

JJ hopped into the bus as the doors closed, the bus sped off and the man struggled to catch up.

"Everyone hold on!"

JJ heard the bus driver yelling, he looked over and saw electricity flying from the dashboard and the wheel spinning on its own. The bus took a hard right and rammed into a street light, throwing JJ off his feet. The rest of the passengers seemed shaken, but fine. JJ looked out the bus window, at the street corner was the man... watching him.

"Is he.. a stand user?" JJ gulped. He got off the bus and tried to hide amongst the other disembarking passengers, but it was no use, the man was there. He put a hand on JJ's shoulder, through the glove it felt cold as ice.

"Are you JJ Speedwagon?" Said the man menacingly.

"Y-yes. Are you with the police?" JJ was poised to summon his stand any second.

"I'm with the Speedwagon Foundation, I was sent here to find you. They need you."

"What? Those guys?" JJ was flabbergasted, he'd heard of his father's company but had never been contacted by them before, and he wanted it to stay that way.

He brushed the man's hand off his shoulder and walked away.

"I don't want anything to do with the Speedwagon Foundation! Tell them I said no."

JJ went to take a step off the curb, but suddenly couldn't move.

"What?"

His feet were stuck, glued to the ground. He looked down and saw a faint ripple of electricity shimmering around his shoes and the ground.

"JJ Speedwagon, I don't think you understand." Said the man, taking his fedora off.

JJ spun around as best he could to face the man. He summoned his stand behind himself, but the man didn't so much as flinch.

"Kans-" JJ felt a shock as his stand became fixed to the ground just like him, the electricity emanating from its feet.

The man took a step closer.

"My name is Joseph Joestar. The Speedwagon Foundation needs you, and I'm here to take you there." He frowned. "Whether you like it or not."


	3. Chapter 3: Power of the Ripple

"My name is Joseph Joestar. The Speedwagon Foundation needs you, and I'm here to take you there. Whether you like it or not."

JJ gasped, he was frozen in place as the man approached him. Instead of attacking, like JJ expected, he clasped his hand firmly on his shoulder.

"Now are you going to come willingly, or not?"

The man still paid no attention to JJ's _Kansas,_ frozen in place right behind him.

"Can he not see it? No, he has to be stand user, there's no other way he can do this." JJ thought.

"Hmmm? Well what'll it be? I can't stand here all day!" The man huffed.

"He's within my range, there's no way he'd get this close if he could see my stand. It might not make sense, but he can't possibly be a stand user then. Which means... I can catch him off guard!"

_Kansas' _arm swung hard around JJ with all its might, "ORAAA!" clocking the man square in the jaw, sending him backwards with a trail of blood and spit flying behind him. The man let out an intense cry of pain as he landed on his back. JJ felt the hold on his feet suddenly disappear, now was the time. He sprinted into the busy intersection, dodging cars.

"I don't know who you are, but you picked the wrong guy to chase! So long, Mister Joestar."

Above JJ suspended under the traffic light was a sign reading the name of a street, _Kansas_ flew up and punched it with its fist, the letters and numbers glowed for a split second and partially floated up from the surface of the sign. They swung down and wound themselves around JJ's outstretched arms, and hoisted him up into the air onto the back of a large moving truck. The light turned green, and unaware of its new cargo the truck sped away down the street.

"Son of a bitch!" Cried Joseph as he lifted himself up and wiped his mouth on his sleeve, "The Ripple?!"

Joseph saw JJ speed away down the road, and gritted his teeth. He ran up to a young boy holding some balloons, "Give me those kid!"

The child was frightened, "Stay away! Mommy!"

Joseph grabbed the bundle of balloons from the boy's hands, "Don't make me spank you!"

He put the balloons on the ground beneath him and placed both hands on them. He took a long deep inhale, waves of energy flowed from his hands to the balloons, expanding them to double, then triple, then four times in size. The rubber was stretching beyond its means but held together by the power of his Ripple, and then with a thunderous pop they shattered sending Joseph up into the air and on the back of a passing ambulance.

"Hehehe," He chuckled, "Still got it!"

As the ambulance drove down the same road as JJ's van, it passed underneath the same sign, smacking Joseph in the head and nearly sending him tumbling off. He rubbed the big welp on his skull and grimaced, "Gah! I'm getting old!"

The ambulance continued but was being slowed by traffic, losing pace.

"Not fast enough! Here, have a little extra juice."

Joseph planted his hands on the roof of the ambulance and breathed, sending Ripple energy down through it into the engine. The sirens came on with a loud whoosh, and the ambulance doubled its speed.

Inside, the man in the passenger seat looked over to his partner who was fighting the steering wheel.

"What's happening?!"

"I don't know, it's moving on its own!" He let his hands off and the steering wheel continued to spin, swerving the ambulance between cars trying to get out of the way as it accelerated past them.

"I'm out of here!" Yelled the passenger as him and the driver opened their doors and leaped into the street, rolling on the pavement as the vehicle sped away past them.

JJ breathed a sigh of relief, and sat down on top of the van as it pulled onto an onramp and got on the highway.

"Today sure has been crazy." His stand materialized in front of him and gazed at him with comforting eyes.

"Glad I had you back there buddy." He said to it.

It closed its eyes in a cheerful sort of expression, despite having no mouth. JJ leaned back and looked around for a good spot to hop off, when he noticed a screeching ambulance gaining speed behind them.

"What? No way!"

"JJ!" Screamed Joseph as the ambulance pulled next to the van and matched speed.

"This guy won't give up!" Thought JJ out loud.

JJ leaned over the side and smashed the driver's window with his stand. The driver, shocked and terrified, nearly swerved off the road as JJ leaned his head down.

"Don't you stop! No matter what, hear me?!"

The driver stammered in fear. JJ pulled out his knife and threatened him, "Do what I say! Got it?"

"Y-y-yeah! Okay!"

JJ climbed back on top and faced the Joestar across from him. Joseph smiled and yelled from across the gap.

"I didn't expect old Speedwagon's son to be a Ripple user! Can't say I'm surprised though, feels like fate." He chuckled.

"Ripple? I don't understand!"

"I can explain everything, if you'll come with me." Said Joseph solemnly.

There was a pause, as both men stared each other down, the wind flying past them at incredible speed.

"No, I don't think I will."

"So be it." Said Joseph reaching into his coat. "Good thing I always keep these on me, just in case."

He pulled out a short length of rope with two steel balls connected to the ends, with the letter "J" inscribed into them. He took a deep breath and began to twirl them in his hand, the two ends banging together in increasing speed making a loud "_CLACK."_ JJ could see the same energy as before, radiating from Joseph into the clackers, making larger and larger sparks with each connection.

"I am the last in a long line of Ripple arts masters, trained by the famed Lisa Lisa." He swung the clackers around his back into his other hand, the rope going taught and making a loud snap.

"Thousands of years of technique, culminating in the prowess you see before you!"

JJ braced himself, summoning his stand in front to deflect the attack.

"Behold the power of the Ripple! _Clacker Volley!_"

With a mighty spin Joseph threw the twirling clackers, JJ was poised to defend but instead the clackers sailed past him.

"He missed?"

Behind him was a large billboard, held up by a thick cylindrical base. One end of the clackers burrowed deep inside, while the other flew around, twirling the rope in a circle around the pole. The force of the second clacker caused the first to dislodge, as they flew back around straight at JJ.

"No, he meant to do that!"

JJ was straight in its path, unable to react in time. But his stand, _Kansas,_ could. Moving on its own, it just managed to reach a leg out and kick one of the clackers sending them careening off into the distance. But in the moment his stand made contact, JJ felt a surge of agony in his foot. The energy they'd been filled with had erupted outward into his stand, harming both it and the user. JJ knelt down on one knee, clutching his stinging foot.

"I thought stands could only be harmed by other stands." He looked over at Joseph, sitting smug.

JJ's eyes grew wide, "Is this the Ripple he keeps talking about?"

"Ah! Good job deflecting my _Clacker Boomerang!" _He yelled. "I can't say I've ever seen a ripple technique like yours, I'm almost envious."

"I have to finish this, he's dangerous." Thought JJ. "These cars are only a few feet apart, he should be within my range."

_Kansas _rapidly closed the gap between the two, reeling up to punch. Joseph smirked, and closed his eyes.

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

Joseph leaned to the left, to the right, and back, dodging. JJ's stand only struck air as every hit missed the man.

Joseph's open hand crackled with energy, "_Ripple Beat!" _He gave a hard chop straight to _Kansas'_ neck, JJ fell over and yelled in pain as the effect was transferred over to him.

"W-what?" He cried.

Joseph opened his eyes and smiled, pointing his finger at JJ tauntingly, "Your next line will be, 'But how? I thought he couldn't see it!'"

JJ sputtered, "But how? I thought he couldn't see it!" He gasped, "W-what?"

Joseph laughed, "Your Ripple certainly is unique, but it's still Ripple. You may not know this, but Ripple is the energy of life, and all living beings possess it. Yours may take on the form of an invisible spirit, but when I block out my other senses I can still feel it."

He smiled and tapped his forehead, "You are talking to a master, you know."

JJ struggled to his feet, gasping for breath.

"I'm not done yet old man."

"Good grief," Joseph put his face in his palm, "As feisty as your old man."

He frowned and crouched, "I'll make this quick then."

"Huh?" JJ was astonished as Joseph leapt into the air several feet, higher than a man half his age should've been able to. He bridged the gap between the vehicles and descended on JJ. _Kansas _appeared between the two, its arms crossed to block.

Joseph drew back his arm and threw it out, "_Zoom Punch!_"

Energy rippled through Joseph's arm, his shoulder and elbow dislocated and his fist stretched outward at incredible speeds striking _Kansas_ square in the face with enormous force. JJ flew backward, tumbling to the edge of the van. His vision grew dark, tiny specks of light floated around in front of him. He tried to get up, but it was no use. As his consciousness left him, he rolled over the edge of the van and into the highway. He felt a hard tug on his arm, a distant fading sensation of someone lifting him. It took all his energy to open his eyes again, he saw Joseph.

"Come on Speedwagon, let's go."

He looked the man in the face. In his blurred vision, for just a brief moment, he saw the man from the photograph once more. He closed his eyes, and everything went dark.

...

JJ opened his eyes, he was in a bed. He sat up and rubbed his head, there was a bandage wrapped around it.

"Finally awake huh? Sorry about that back there, I didn't mean to rough you up that bad."

JJ turned and saw Joseph, sitting in a chair and reading the newspaper while holding a steaming cup of coffee.

"Where am I?"

"Hmm?" Joseph looked up from the paper. "The hotel I've been staying at, we're still in downtown Dallas."

JJ rubbed his eyes, recalling the events of the past day.

"Why did you take me here?"

Joseph took a sip of coffee and yelped, "Shit! That's hot!" He set the cup down and put his hand on his mouth.

"I told you, the Speedwagon foundation needs your help."

"And I told you I want nothing to do with them."

Joseph glared at him, "I understand your apprehension, but this is a matter of grave importance."

"They can deal with it themselves!" Said JJ, getting out of bed and putting his clothes back on.

"It's about your father."

JJ gasped, "My father?"

Joseph eyed JJ, "Yes, Robert E.O. Speedwagon."

"Why didn't you tell me that before?" JJ stammered.

"You didn't give me a chance!"

"And so you beat me up?" Yelled JJ.

"You started it you hooligan!" Joseph yelled back. "I'll admit though, once I saw your Ripple I got a little carried away," He seemed embarrassed, "It's not every day I meet another Ripple user, and I wanted to see what you had to show."

"I don't know what this Ripple is you keep talking about!"

Joseph scratched his chin, "We can talk about that more later, there are more pressing issues at hand."

JJ sat back down and sighed, "What about my father?"

"As you know, your father died 20 years ago, correct?"

"Yes, that's what my mother told me."

"Up until quite recently, we all believed his cause of death was a heart attack. But now..." He paused, "We think there was foul play involved."

"What?" JJ yelled, "You mean he was murdered?"

"Settle down," Joseph ushered JJ with his hands, "We have no solid evidence yet. However, we do have his journal."

"What did it say?"

"Well, shortly before his death he had just returned from an archeological expedition in Egypt. He was quite fond of archeology. He had brought back with him several artifacts as well."

"You think someone killed him over those?"

"No, no. None of them were ever reported stolen and most were delivered to museums, save for a few he kept in his personal collection. But only one day after his return, he died of a sudden unexplained heart attack."

"And what does that have to do with his journal? Didn't you already know all that?"

"I'm getting to that!" Joseph suppressed a yell, "Speedwagon and I were good friends, he was almost like an uncle to me when I was a child. Consequently I was left with some of his personal possessions after his death, including his journal. I never read it, mostly out of respect for the man's privacy. But a few months ago I came across it again when going through some old mementos, and curiosity got the better of me."

"Well?"

Joseph's face grew dark and solemn.

"There was more to his expedition than he revealed. In his journal he described discovering something buried beneath an Egyptian ruin. Something so terrifying that he left the country immediately to come back here and tell me. But unfortunately, he never got the chance. And the information of exactly what he found, and where it was, died with him."

"So what, you think this had something to do with his death?"

"Without a doubt, I'm sure of it. Whatever it was he found there was the cause."

"Why come to me though?"

Joseph stood up, "As his son, I felt like you had a right to know the truth behind your father's death. And now that I've seen your spirit Ripple, I know you're more than capable of handling anything that comes your way."

"It's called a stand."

"Hmm?"

"My power, it's called a stand. I heard the name from another stand user I met. Until yesterday, I'd never heard of anyone else with it. Then as soon as I find out I'm not the only one, you show up with this crazy adventure for me. It seems... bizarre."

Joseph smiled and stretched out his hand, "Well then, JJ Speedwagon. Will you come on this bizarre adventure with me?"

JJ smiled back, taking Joseph's hand in his and shaking it, "I suppose I can't refuse now. Yes, yes I will, Mister Joestar."


	4. Chapter 4: Ancient Secrets

It had been a long hard day for Geoffrey Haywood. He whistled to himself as he walked down the streets of Dallas, content to finally be rid of yesterday's events.

"It sure is a good thing those bozo cops were too busy looking for that Speedwagon guy to notice my getaway." He laughed to himself.

He passed by a jewelry store, and out walked a finely dressed old woman into his path. The two bumped into each other, and Geoff stumbled back surprised.

"Watch where you're going young man!" The woman said, bonking him with her cane.

"Yeowch!" Geoff grabbed his head through his hat, "Sorry lady!"

She huffed and continued on her way, "The nerve of youngsters these days."

Geoff smiled once her back was turned, his stand appeared and drifted over to the woman reaching its clawlike hand into her purse and lifting out a stack of cash. It floated back over to Geoff, dropping the bills in his hands.

"Hehe, works like a charm."

He went back to whistling and counting his money as he walked.

If there was one thing Geoffrey Haywood liked, it was money. As a kid, he grew up in one a poor part of rural Alabama. His father was a farmer, it was honest work but his family never had much money to spare. With his stand, Geoff turned to becoming a con artist in town. It started innocently enough, rigging a coin flip to some kids on the playground. Then cheating at cards, using his stand and some special cards to rig the shuffle. His cons and lust for money grew and grew, eventually he'd cheated the wrong people and was forced to leave his home of Alabama. Here in Dallas, he hoped to start a new life. But as most people do, he fell back into his old ways. Eventually, like JJ did, he ran into other stand users. Geoff didn't like stand users. They were the only people who could see through his tricks, catching him in the act. No, he didn't like anyone who got in the way of him and his money.

With nothing but cash on the mind, he finished counting his money and put it into his wallet as he strolled past a hotel. As he approached, he saw out of the corner of his eye two men leaving.

"Gah! It's that JJ guy again!"

Geoff hid behind a pillar, shaking in his boots.

"I can't let him see me, I don't want to pick a fight with him again!"

JJ and the other man walked past the pillar, to a new black car with a chauffeur inside.

"This will take us to the Speedwagon foundation, with this traffic it should take an hour or two to get there." The older man sighed and put on a hat. "I prefer New York to this place, at least there you can ride the train!"

JJ spoke up, "It feels weird going to my father's company... Yesterday I never would've dreamed of such a thing."

Geoff's ears perked up. "Wait a minute, this guy is one of _those _Speedwagons?" He grinned wide and rubbed his hands together, "It's a pretty uncommon name so I should've realized it before! Maybe it's a good thing I ran into him again after all, he must be loaded!"

JJ and the man got into the car, and it pulled away down the street. Geoff ran out and hailed a cab, hopping inside and yelling to the driver, "Follow that car! We're going to the Speedwagon Foundation!"

The driver turned around and leaned his arm on the console, "Hey pal, you know that's across town right? The fare is gonna be enormous. You got that kinda cash?"

Geoff yanked out the stack of bills from earlier and tossed them at the driver, "Here! Now go!"

The driver's eyes grew wide as he grabbed up the cash and hit the pedal, "You got it boss!"

Geoff smiled in the back seat and silently loaded his gun, preparing for his next meeting with JJ.

"This is gonna be the score of a lifetime."

...

3 1/2 hours later, the car carrying Joseph and JJ finally arrived. Joseph got out of the door and stretched his legs, "Gah! Why does it take so long to get anywhere in this city? The damn roads are always under construction!"

JJ stepped out and gazed in awe at the buildings in front of them. Speedwagon Foundation headquarters, it seemed as large as a college campus and was swarming with people. Before him was a large multi story building, the entrances were 3 large archways and there were giant staircases also leading up to the 2nd floor. Atop the marble looking building were several statues in varying poses, and the path leading to it was adorned with beautiful greenery and trees.

"THIS is the Speedwagon Foundation?"

Joseph chuckled. "Never get tired of seeing it. The brightest minds from around the world gather here to do research. Thanks to your father, their main focuses are environmental conservation and medical research. But there's a paranormal research facility as well, that's where we'll be headed."

"Paranormal?" JJ asked, "Oh! You mean like the Ripple, and my stand."

"Bingo!" Yelled Joseph winking, "The Foundation has helped myself and the Joestar family countless times on our adventures! I might not still be here if it weren't for them."

"What sort of adventures?"

"I'll tell you about them sometime, but for now let's head inside. We need to take a look at your father's office."

Joseph led the way inside, there were several men in lab coats waiting for them, and one in a suit. The suited man stretched his arm to shake JJ's, "Mister Speedwagon! It's such an honor to finally meet you! My name is Huwell Ews, your father left me in charge of running the Foundation according to his wishes once he passed away."

He gestured around, "With Mister Joestar accompanying you, you have free reign of everything you see here! Take this pass, it'll let you anywhere you'd like to go."

JJ shook the man's hand and took the pass, "Uh, thank you sir. I'm still getting used to all of this honestly."

"No matter! If you have any questions or concerns, Mister Joestar and all of our staff are pleased to help. Once again, it's been an honor."

The men bowed and went on their way, Joseph led JJ to an elevator and scanned his pass, then punched the button for the third floor. The doors closed around them and the elevator began to ascend.

"Mister Joestar."

"Hmm?"

"What kind of man was my father?"

"Old Speedwagon? He was a fine man, with unquestionable honor and loyalty. His shoes would be hard to fill for even myself."

The doors opened and the two walked down the hallway.

"It's just... my mother always said he was too involved in his work to ever see her, despite all the wonderful other things she said about him I don't see how someone could ever do that."

"He was a bit of a workaholic, I'll admit. But everything he did had a reason. He risked his life to save me several times, and I'll never forget that. He was an honorable man, but he put his duty and loyalty before that honor. That's what made him Speedwagon."

They stopped at a set of double oak doors, Joseph pushed them open and the lights inside flickered on.

"This is his office, it's laid untouched since his death."

They stepped inside. It was a large room, neatly furnished with a soft velvet rug underfoot, numerous bookcases filled to the brim, a large globe off to one corner, and a sturdy desk with a typewriter and several documents laying about. Everything was covered in a heavy layer of dust, and some cobwebs hung in the corners.

JJ picked a book from a shelf and blew the dust off before flipping through it, "What exactly do you hope to find here, Mister Joestar?"

"A clue perhaps," Joseph inspected the documents on the desk, "Something that can tell us what Speedwagon found in Egypt, or what it was that killed him."

JJ sighed and put the book back, then walked over to the globe and gave it a spin. A big cloud of dust came up, making him cough.

"Hey Mister Joestar, get a load of this."

Joseph walked over and bent down to look.

"He marked some spots on the globe here," JJ pointed at some star shaped markings, "There's one in Tibet, Peru, Egypt, Italy, and some others here too."

"Hmm," Joseph grumbled. "I recognize the locations of some of these," He pointed at the one in Italy, "This is Venice, where I was trained to use the Ripple. And this one here, in Tibet, it's where Straizo was trained."

"Straizo?"

"An old... friend."

Joseph stood up. "It seems like these were the locations of old Ripple monasteries, although many have been abandoned over the centuries."

He looked at the one in Egypt. "That's Cairo... hmm, perhaps that's where he visited. But why was he seeking out Ripple users?"

JJ went back to meandering about, looking at the books. He tried prying one out, but it seemed to be stuck. He pulled harder, the book only came halfway and he heard a click, the bookcase adjacent had popped out from the wall.

"Mister Joestar! Come here! I found something!"

Joseph ran up and grabbed JJ's shoulder, "Nice work kid!"

The two grabbed the bookcase and heaved, the hinges hadn't been oiled in decades and it screeched as they yanked it open. Inside the secret door was a large room with metallic walls and floors, with many glass cases containing artifacts.

"Well I'll be, I guess this is old Speedwagon's personal collection! Let's take a look."

The two stepped inside and investigated.

JJ paced around with his hands in his pockets, nonchalantly peering at the glass cases. Most held nothing of interest to him, slabs of hieroglyphs, skeletal limbs, broken pottery, etc. One large case even held a sarcophagus, with a mummy presumably inside.

"Hey JJ! Check this out!"

JJ turned around to Joseph.

"I'm David Bowie! Check me out!" He'd taken a poofy wig from its glass box and put it on over his graying hair. He did a twirl in place and struck a pose, "Oh yes!"

"Mister Joestar! That wig is probably hundreds of years old! Don't play around!" Shouted JJ as he slammed his foot down with a wooden thunk.

"Huh?" He looked down and saw he was standing beside a waist high rotted wooden box, a board had fallen off onto the floor beneath his foot.

"What's this?" He said peering inside. He squinted to see through the darkness inside the box, what he saw was a skeletal face peering back at him.

"YAAA!" He shouted falling back.

"Hahaha!" Joseph laughed setting down the wig, "What? Is there a mummy in there?"

JJ took a deep breath, "No, just a skeleton."

Joseph walked over and pried off the top of the box. Inside was a large stone, the edges chiseled as if removed from the walls of a tomb. The front was smooth flat, etched with hieroglyphs. And in the center was a human skull embedded into the stone, its mouth agape.

"Hmm, that's odd." He said bending down to inspect it, "It doesn't look like this stone was made around the skull, how did they get it in here?"

JJ knelt beside him, "Mister Joestar, I'm guessing you don't know how to read hieroglyphs do you."

"Why, do you?"

"No, but I can do this."

With a shimmering pop JJ's stand materialized beside them, "KANSAS!" he yelled as his stand punched the slab.

"Holy shit! You didn't have to smash it!" Yelled Joseph.

"I'm not," said JJ as his stand faded away, "Look."

The hieroglyphs on the surface began to wiggle and rearrange themselves, reforming into English.

"Wow... your 'stand' really is something. Nice work JJ boy!" Said Joseph putting his arm around JJ's neck.

"Knock it off Mister Joestar! Read what it says."

Joseph eyed the slab, it read "The power of the pharaoh lies beyond the land of the dead. To gain his power, thou must venture your body to the afterlife and back."

"Huh, what does that mean?" Joseph scratched his head.

"It looks like there's a hole at the back of the skull's mouth, seems to extend about a foot into the stone... I wonder." JJ reached his hand into the skull's mouth, it was a tight fit to get his arm inside but he squirmed it in. He delicately inched his arm further down, until he felt something brush his fingertips. His eyes widened and he quickly retracted his arm.

"What is it?" Joseph asked.

JJ picked up the long thing piece of wood he'd stepped on earlier.

"I think I know what this does... watch."

He stuck the wood into the skull and pressed it to the back of the "throat." The wood shattered into pieces in his hands as a metallic bang came from inside.

"AHHH! That could've been your hand!" Joseph yelled.

JJ sighed, "Do you always have to scream?" He reached his arm back inside.

"Wait JJ!" Joseph grabbed his shoulder.

"I'm fine, old man. Look."

JJ pulled his hand back out, clutching something.

"This is what would've stabbed me if I wasn't careful and pressed that switch."

He held up in his hand a thin wooden stick, thousands of years old. At the end, still sharp as a razor and adorned with gold was the head of an arrow.

"Oh my god..."


End file.
